Network Working Group                                        E. Levinson
Request for Comments: 1874            Accurate Information Systems, Inc.
Category: Experimental                                     December 1995


                            SGML Media Types

Status of this Memo

   This memo defines an Experimental Protocol for the Internet
   community.  This memo does not specify an Internet standard of any
   kind.  Discussion and suggestions for improvement are requested.
   Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Abstract

   This document proposes new media sub-types of Text/SGML and
   Application/SGML.  These media types can be used in the exchange of
   SGML documents and their entities.  Specific details for the exchange
   or encapsulation of groups of related SGML entities using MIME are
   currently being considered by the mimesgml Working Group <sgml-
   internet@ebt.com>.

1.      Introduction

   A need exists for the transfer the elements of documents constructed
   using the Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) [ISO-8879].
   While the specific details of such transfers are being considered
   general agreement exists on the need to register basic media types
   for the SGML entities not covered by existing types.

   The Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) is used to encode
   document structure and a rigorous description of it is left to [ISO-
   8879].  The terms used in the present document attempt to be
   consistent with SGML terminology and usage.

2.       The SGML Media-Types

   There are two media-types for SGML parsable entities, Text/SGML and
   Application/SGML.  Both have the same optional parameters.  Text/SGML
   provides a fallback to Text/Plain for those without SGML capability.
   Senders should base the choice between text and application media-
   types on the entity's content.  Text is suggested for entities that
   would be meaningful to a human being without SGML processing.
   Application/SGML is recommended for all others.







 
RFC 1874                    SGML Media Types               December 1995


2.1.  Text/SGML

         MIME type name:          Text
         MIME subtype name:       SGML
         Required parameters:     none
         Optional parameters:     charset, SGML-bctf, SGML-boot
         Encoding considerations: may be encoded
         Security considerations: see section 4 below
         Published specification: ISO 8879:1986
         Person and email address to contact for further information:
                                  E. Levinson <ELevinson@Accurate.com>

   The Text/SGML media-type can be employed when the contents of the
   SGML entity is intended to be read by a human and is in a readily
   comprehensible form.  That is the content can be easily discerned by
   someone without SGML display software.  Each record in the SGML
   entity, delimited by record start (RS) and record end (RE) codes,
   must correspond to a line in the Text/SGML body part.

   SGML entities that do not meet the above requirements should use the
   Application/SGML media-type.

   See section 2.3 for a description of the parameters.

2.2.    Application/SGML

         MIME type name:          Application
         MIME subtype name:       SGML
         Required parameters:     none
         Optional parameters:     SGML-bctf, SGML-boot
         Encoding considerations: may be encoded
         Security considerations: see section 4 below
         Published specification: ISO-8879
         Person and email address to contact for further information:
                                  E. Levinson <ELevinson@Accurate.com>

   Use the Application/SGML media-type for SGML text entities that are
   not appropriate for Text/SGML.  When used, each record start (RS) and